105 year old chicken noodle soup
No garnishing, no fluff, just pure magic. A classic soup that speaks for itself. Ironically, chicken noodle soup recipes are sometimes the hardest to perfect because the noodles can be too squishy, or the broth is too thick and cloudy…
This UNDER COMPLICATED Chicken Noodle Soup recipe, along with my Great Grandmother (who crafted it originally, but has now passed) had survived the Great Depression. My Great Grandma, who was my inspo for all things, lived to be around 105 years old! She was doing something right I guess, to make it to that kind of number! Maybe her longevity came from her chicken noodle soup consumption? We will never know… She told me a story once about her family during the Great Depression… During those times, things were so financially arduous and economically tumultuous, that her family was robbed when she was a little girl, and the only thing the thieves took was their rotisserie chicken! OMG! Can you imagine breaking into a house and the only thing that was stolen was the rotisserie chicken? Quite wild. Sometimes with grocery prices these days, I can see how that could happen, quite honestly… and I truly will never take for granted the food that we get to put on our table each day... Such a blessing that can be overlooked at times.
I don’t have an exact recipe that she used, but it’s one of those things, where I have watched her and my mom make it so many times that I know the recipe just from watching!
The Extra Wide Egg Noodles: These are the key to success. You’ll see in the instructions to cook these in a separate pot and then don’t add them into the entire pot! They end up getting all mushy.. so what my mom always did was she would drizzle them with olive oil so they didn’t dry out, and then you have them on the side and as you are serving each bowl, put in the noodles to the individual bowl. If you can’t find extra wide egg noodles, other egg noodles will suffice.
If you are using this recipe because of sickness in your family, then replace some of the chicken broth with bone broth to add those extra needed nutrients!
I love this recipe because it is so easy, and it is ingredients that I always have on hand, or a great way to use up leftover chicken, and it is something that my kids will ALWAYS eat! So whether you’re looking for an easy meal to make this week, or needing to bring soup to a friend, or your fam is sick, this is the PERFECT easy recipe for you! Just get a bouquet of tulips and some fresh homemade bread, or these Honey Thyme Cheddar Drop Biscuits and you’ll have yourself the perfect “Get well” combo!
NOTE: make sure you follow the instructions carefully with boiling the vegetables before hand!
XX Shea
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups cooked Chicken (shredded AND finely chopped) (rotisserie chicken, or any chicken breast: I use rotisserie!)
2 Large Celery ribs (1 cup) finely chopped
2 Large Carrots (2 Cups) peeled and finely chopped
1/2 Large Yellow Onion (1 cup) diced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Minced Garlic
8 cups Organic Chicken Broth
1 cup Filtered Water
1 bag 12 oz Extra Wide Egg Noodles (I do 24 oz and use them for lefotvers!)
1 Tablespoon Organic Chicken Bouillon
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Cracked Pepper
1 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil
1 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
2 Bay Leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin Cooking Egg noodles according to package instructions. drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
Prepare chicken (I use rotisserie) shred and finely chop. Set aside.
In your large dutch oven, Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat and add all of the vegetables (garlic, onion, celery, carrots) and add pepper (not salt yet), Basil, Oregano and Bay Leaves. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 mins.
Add 1 Cup water and 4 cups broth to the veggies and bring to a boil with the lid on. cook for about 7 mins at boiling point.
Once the veggies are cooked through, turn down to simmer and add the cooked chicken, chicken Bouillon, and remaining broth (4 cups) and the Salt (add 1/4 teaspoon at a time and test for desirable saltiness) simmer on low for another 10-15 mins
To Serve: Pour the soup into each bowl, and then add noodles to each individual bowl (do this so that if you want to save any leftovers, the noodles don’t get mushy and soak up too much broth!)
ENJOY with some fresh bread and butter! Or These Honey Thyme Cheddar Drop Biscuits!
